A man who had been staying temporarily at the house in Maddison Street, Blyth, had to be helped to safety before firefighters arrived.

But the occupant ended up being arrested in connection with the dope farm set up in a bedroom.

It appeared an electrical fault sparked a blaze which led to lamps and equipment used to grow the plants exploding.

Two fire crews from Blyth put out the flames which swept through the first floor bedroom.

A Northumbria Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: "We were called out to a house fire last Friday where one person had been evacuated prior to our arrival.

"The damage was confined to the first floor bedroom and took firefighters with two hose reels just over half an hour to put out."

Detectives from South East Northumberland command area at Blyth were alerted to the circumstances after the fire was put out. Although the cause of the fire is being treated as accidental, inquiries led to the arrest of a man in connection with the cultivation of cannabis.

The majority of the evidence from the cannabis farm went up in smoke, but police were able to establish it was being grown in the bedroom.

Det Insp John Cox said: "A 40-year-old man has been arrested and dealt with by way of a caution after admitting being involved in the production of cannabis."

Meanwhile, police have discovered a hydroponic system for growing cannabis plants being commonly used in illegal farms in lofts and bedrooms across the North East.

The system operates by plants grown in gravel with water and nutrients pumped through irrigation channels.

Lamps and foil are used to nurture the crop, mainly using electricity which has been tapped from the house supply.